5.17: Sustainable Forestry

Question 1

What is ecologically sustainable forestry?

Answer 1

Forestry (using trees for lumber) that minimizaes damage to the ecosystem

Question 2

Selective cutting/strip cutting

Answer 2

Only cutting some of the trees in an area (biggest & oldest) to preserve habitat biodiversity and topsoil

Question 3

Sustainable Forestry Practices

Answer 3

• Using recycled wood/ simply reusing wood
• Using wood chips as mulch
• Reforestation and replanting the same species being logged (maximizes long term productivity of land)
• Selectively removing diseased trees to prevent spread of infection trhoguhout forest (removes host for disease and decreases density making spread less likely)

Question 4

Fire Suppression

Answer 4

Putting out all natural forest fires as soon as they start

Question 5

Downside of fire suppression

Answer 5

• Leads to more dry biomass (susceptible to disease and pest spread, stored nutrients trapped in dead biomass) buildup making future fires worse
• It can disrupt the natural fire regime and ecological processes that depend on fire, such as nutrient cycling, seed dispersal, and plant regeneration

Question 6

Benefit of prescribed burns

Answer 6

• Burns up dead biomass preventing larger forest fires later
• Promotes nutrient recycling for new growth